Work Hard, Play Harder.

That is the motto that Centre College students tend to adopt. Usually you see: Work Hard, Play Hard. But you might as well reap the benefits of your hard work, right? And you enjoy doing something "fun"... so do it big.

I'll talk more about this once it's official, and not still a bit up in the air. However, something that I have had as a dream since junior year of college and what I've been working towards since my first day at UC looks like it's coming to fruition. It's always nice to see hard work pay off.

Like I said, I'll update later when the event is official. But just remember: you only get what you give. Give it your all, and at the end of the day, you'll end up exactly where you should be. Sometimes it's where you WANT to be as well, but somehow things always work out to be where you NEED to be.

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance. - Will Durant

A few weeks before graduation began this year, someone had stolen the Centre seal. Now, it was a huge deal, because as most people know, even stepping on the seal has said that you won't graduate from Centre College. A nice myth, but I know I never stepped on it, just in case. Or if you kissed over the seal, you'd marry that person. Never did that, either. With the seal missing, many people joked that you wouldn't graduate because it was no longer there. All in all, a crazy (and personally immature) prank. Pretty sure most people know who did it, and if not, they will soon.

A recent Centre College alum posted a picture of said person who stole the seal, and the caption from the stealer: "to all those who felt as if centre took something from u... got you beeotch!!!!" The alumnus then talked about how she didn't feel like Centre took anything from her (minus tuition), and how it was a very rewarding 4 years of her life. Other alumni left comments agreeing or disagreeing. So, instead of making it facebook wide, I decided to blog about my time at Centre, and what I achieved from attending from 2006-2010.

Now: this is only my personal opinion about the time I spent at Centre. Each person is obviously entitled to their opinion, and may not have felt the same way about Centre that I do. That's great, each person gets something different out of school and their surroundings. I want you, readers, to remember to be open to other people's opinions, because that's what makes the world a great place.

The first time I ever visited Centre, I felt at home. I loved campus, the energy; I could see myself going there. It was going to be a financial struggle to get me there, but with the help of my loving parents, the generosity of the College (and the alumni giving money), and some student loans, my want to go to Centre became a reality. I was going to start off getting my chemistry degree and playing basketball for Centre. Coming out of high school, basketball was what my main focus was. In school, chemistry was my favorite subject. So it only made sense to continue in both of those things once college started.

I remember meeting Dr. Jeff Fieberg during my campus visit, and that's what really sold me on studying chemistry. The next four years at Centre studying chemistry were by no means easy, but I loved every second of it. I know I didn't give my education my all, and to that day it still haunts me. However, I feel like my time at Centre helped shape me into the person I am today. Sure, I still have a lot of growing left to do, but I'm looking forward to it.

As a freshman, I perhaps tried to overachieve with the classes I chose to take, while trying to have a social life I never had the opportunity to obtain in high school. I could suddenly do whatever I wanted to. No one was breathing down my neck, no one was forcing me to do something. It was all up to me. I ended up getting mono from not taking care of myself, which lead to me quitting basketball right after conditioning. My grades by the end of the year were the worst I had ever seen. But I had made great friends that I wouldn't give up for the world.

Sophomore year came around, and I was determined to raise my grades. However, my class schedule wasn't helping that much either. Organic chemistry, Physics, Calculus... not a great GPA booster schedule. I did alright, but more importantly made new friendships and got to form relationships with certain professors I still keep in contact with today. I found a love for organic chemistry, and have continued to let that love grow for the subject.

Junior year was another tough year, but I was getting the hang of classes, and started to think about my future after Centre. I had some of the best friends I could ever ask for, and had a ton of fun. Classes were still hard, but not unbearable.

Senior year, obviously the best year. I got the best grades of my whole career (which still weren't the best, but that's okay), had a ton of fun with my real friends, and researched with a biochemistry professor. The main event that transformed me to be "ready for the real world" was going to New Zealand for Centre Term. There's nothing more beautiful than being at the top of a volcano looking out and seeing ocean. I definitely found myself there, and used that for motivation to finish out strong. 

I had applied to grad schools for the following fall semester, but didn't get in anywhere. My grades were DEFINTIELY not up to par to get into a PhD program, but that's my own fault. I put my social life before my "education", and it showed. However, after a year of working, I reapplied to a master's program, and am currently studying at the University of Cincinnati. I'm on the cusp of switching over to the PhD program, and worked really hard, and got the grades I should have gotten in undergrad.

It makes me think really hard about what an education is really about. Is it all about what we are supposed to learn in a field of study? Or is gaining an education more than that? Is it about making connections with other people, in and out of your field? Is it about finding out what really interests you? Is it about making friendships that last a lifetime? Is it about getting the best grades you can to continue your studies post-grad?

Or is it really a combination of all of these? Is the real meaning of education to discover our own ignorance, all facets of it? Social, intellectual, physical, emotional, mental... all our boundaries stretched to the limit with what we can learn.

We know that schools are looking for talent, intelligence, ambition, etc. They're not prone to let in potential students that haven't shown promise in their previous studies. However, a lot of students at Centre have complained that their grades have kept them out of specific programs/internships they have applied for. They say that at a state school, it'd be easier to get better grades for transcripts. I've seen some of the state school programs, and their classes were harder than the ones I took in undergrad. So is that really an excuse? Or is the real reason we didn't get into what we want was that we were too busy with other things? Having fun with friends, sleeping, social clubs. 

There's still hope for those people that still want to get into programs after undergrad: exhibit A, me. It may not happen the year after you get out of undergrad, but you made sacrifices in school that allowed you to have fun but did not allow for the "learning" part as well. But we all make choices every day, it just depends on when we make those choices that need to be made.

So: if you regret your time in undergrad, that's on you. If you regret not making the grades you wanted to make, think back: did you do everything in your power to study and prepare for the class? If so, then you did the best you can, and you should be proud. However, you might need to reevaluate some future decisions. But I know for a fact that I didn't focus on my grades as much as I should have. Yet, I don't regret ANYTHING from my time in undergrad.

While the school aspect of education is very important, I tend to think building relationships, networking, friendships, can be just as useful. And for that, I thank you Centre. You helped me make the best friends I've ever known, and I can't wait to continue to grow in our friendships.

I have a lot to thank Centre for: preparing me for graduate school, helping me to discover who I truly am and what my goals in life are, and for giving me a ton of memories from the 4 years I attended there. I will continue to give money to the school as an alumnus, so that other high school graduates have the opportunity to study there. 

Life is what you make of it, and I'm glad that Centre helped to build that part of my life.

"Education is all a matter of building bridges." - Ralph Ellison

Let's continue to build bridges, regardless of where you are from, what school you went to, what you "got your education in". That's what life is about.

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind."

So when I started this blog, I never said I was good at keeping up with it. Haha. But I'm here, I promise. Real life tends to get in the way sometimes, which I think is overall a good thing. As much as I love reading blogs, articles, etc. on the internet, there's nothing better than going and living life OUTSIDE. Except when it's 102 degrees outside. Then I like living life in A/C. :)

Anyway: so much to update!

Wedding season just kicked off for me last weekend. There's always so much anticipation for the first wedding of the year. I just attended my first one, and what better way to start it off with a wedding of a friend I've known since I was 6 years old! That's right, I'm talking about Erin.

The happy couple :)

Erin and I went to Holy Family together, and then also Providence. Even though we didn't see each other as much as we had hoped, we still kept in touch. Jeremy, her husband, is such a good match for her. The wedding was gorgeous, and the reception was too much fun! I hope they're having a wonderful time on their honeymoon!!! :)

So getting number 1 done, I have 7 more weddings from here until December (4 in August!!!!) I have another wedding this weekend, a family friend. So that will be another fun time!

I love weddings, they just don't love my bank account :) But just the ideals of marriage make me smile every time I see a couple recite their vows, and look happier than anyone else in the world.

Also: there's news (but not news) about my PhD status. I got my grades I needed, and passed the 1st year talk. However, due to budgeting reasons, I won't find out whether or not I was accepted into the PhD program until mid July... so keep your fingers crossed for me. I can't say I won't be disappointed if I'm not accepted, but there's a reason for everything, and I did what I could, so I'm happy either way.

So: normally my blog posts always contain something positive. Like a positive message to follow, or something along that nature. The title quote says it all (especially with my love for cats) Without further ado, here it is:

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is something to be said about a person who is patient. You know the saying: Love is PATIENT, love is kind. Patience is a virtue. But it's easy enough to become impatient; to want everything right this second. To try to make things hurry along so you can get to the good part. But that's not how life is supposed to be, right?

To be patient is tough; I know because I am a bit impatient myself. As a society, we are so accustomed to receiving things at a click of a button, at the drop of a hat. We forget that some of the best things come to us when we are patient. The anticipation of waiting for something makes it that much more worthwhile and important. How many times have you purchased something right away, and then just ignore it a week after you got it? Because the newness of it has worn off. Or how many times have you pursued a friendship/relationship, and then get too hasty, and watch it fizzle out?

Patience isn't talked about because it's an easy thing to be. Patience is talked about because it's hard, it's tough, but it's so rewarding. I myself am trying to learn patience. I'm being as patient as I can with the program's decision on the PhD status. I'm being patient learning who people are and how to interact with them. I'm learning to be patient with people who are stressed and don't want to hear your advice. I'm learning to be patient with myself, to learn who i still want to become. I know I'm not perfect, but maybe, with patience, I can make myself be who I want to be.

So be patient today, and be patient tomorrow. And the next day. Take it a step at a time, a minute at a time, a second at a time, a day at a time. See if patience gives you some type of satisfaction. If cats can do it, I think we as humans can too.

Stay cool this summer, readers. I think it's going to be a brutal one. But enjoy the summer, and make sure you take time off to enjoy life and all the wonderful things that come with it.

Keep Calm and Carry On.

Just something quickly before I get back to chemistry for the night... I know I've been neglecting this bad boy, but it's been the laziest yet busiest quarter yet.

I want to congratulate all the college graduates from the Class of 2012. You made it. Cherish the friends you made, the memories, the professors, the good times and bad... cherish it all. It was definitely a once in a lifetime, but it will be a part of you forever. It's hard to believe that my own college graduation was 2 years ago. How time flies.

It's also hard to believe that my first year of graduate school will be over in a matter of 5-6 days. It just seems like yesterday I moved up to Cincinnati. But I've enjoyed every struggle and smile, the friends I have made here, and the connections I've formed. I'm definitely looking forward to the new challenges, whether they come tomorrow or down the road a bit.

Whatever it is that is next for you, don't worry too much. Just keep calm and carry on. And we'll all float on anyway. It may seem tough, it may question your values and beliefs... but there is a reason for everything. So just keep calm, carry on, and do your best. That's all you can ask for, and at the end of the day, you'll be satisfied with the results.

“A good friend is a connection to life, a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.”

It has definitely been a while since I've taken the time to blog about something/someone/somewhere. Always seems like there is never enough time to get what you want to do done. But luckily, I'm back! (And procrastinating on two presentations that are on Monday and Tuesday... yikes.)

As per my past blog posts, I always try to write about something positive. The past few months have been stressful for me (as well as a lot of people I know), so it's been hard to find something positive to write about. I meant to talk about the Louisville Cardinals' wonderful March (Big East Champs, Final Four), but c'est la vie. Very proud of that team though. However, I received excellent news from a friend today. She is about to start residency rotations, and was looking at hospitals all over. Living in Pikeville, KY, I don't get to see her very often, but when I do it's definitely worth it. I received a text from her this morning saying that one of her rotations was going to be in Cincinnati, at Good Samaritan Hospital. Of course I'm SO excited for her and her residency audition. Add that to the location of the hospital (right down the road from campus), and it makes it even better.

Thinking of one friend got me thinking about other friends, and then just about friendship in general. I cannot be thankful enough for the friends I have. Whether it's new friends I've made in the graduate program, my college friends, my high school friends, my grade school friends... we've all been through so much together, and it's made everyday so fantastic. Yes, we've had our share of bad days (who hasn't?), but it was much more fun to bitch and complain about it, and then later look back and think how it really wasn't that bad.

You go through life, and you meet people that will come and go without warning. But the ones you keep close to you, those will get through anything life throws at you. Don't be grateful for those special to you. Tell them you love them, you are thinking about them, you miss them. Send them a text, an email, a card, a cookie bouquet (okay, you don't have to, but it's nice if you do). Buy them a drink without expecting one in return. Leave them a note on their car, in their cubicle. Make sure you always tell people that you do care about them. You never know when it could brighten their day.

It's easy to look at what's hard in life, but the nice boost of happiness you feel when you're with people you call friends makes everything that much easier. I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am today without the support of my friends (and family). I owe these people so much, and I don't mind having to "repay" for ... forever, really. It'll be fun doing it.

"A Hug is worth a thousand words; A Friend is worth more."

You Are Loveable... God Doesn't Make Junk.

My thoughts and prayers, first and foremost, go out to those who have been hit by the tornadoes yesterday. From Alabama, up through Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and on, the damage that is caused by this monstrous weather is much more than I think I could bear. Please pray for those people that are affected by these disasters. Though they may not be as damaging as the Joplin storms last year, the people that go through these storms all go through the same pain. Keeping especially in my thoughts those people in Henryville, Borden and Pekin, Indiana. That is too close to my hometown of Floyds Knobs, and I'm just glad no one I knew was injured. Keep those people in your thoughts and prayers the next couple of weeks as they move towards recovery.

It is times like these that I tend to try to look at the positive things I have in my life. Life can change in an instant, so it's always nice to do an inventory of things I should be thankful for, and probably take for granted. There are so many things that I sometimes forget are so wonderful and beautiful; I think we all do.

I'm thankful for my wonderful family. We may not always get along, but we sure have fun arguing or spending time together. As I've grown up, I've definitely grown closer to my immediate family (as well as my extended family); my brother is one of my best friends, and I talk to my parents almost everyday, whether it's a text, email or call. We're always connected somehow.

Family at Christmas mass 2011

I could not ask for a better group of people I call friends. You may lose some and gain more along the way of life, but right now, my friends couldn't get any better than they are now. Whether they are from grade school, high school, college or elsewhere, my days are so much better with them in my life. A text message here, or conversing about favorite tv shows; road trips to visit friends or reminiscing about the "good old days". I have so many good memories with these people, and I can't wait to make more :)

BDAZ celebration 

Always laughing and having too much fun

Weird faces are always necessary on nights out

Nothing better than girl friends :)

The ridiculous things make nights like these amazing

Couldn't ask for a better bestie :)

I'm always thankful of everything I've been given by God. Health, intelligence, etc. Without God-given abilities, I wouldn't be where I am today. While you may not believe in God, I definitely do, and I cherish my relationship with Him. One thing that has strengthened my relationship with God (or more accurately, restarted my relationship) was the senior retreat my high school held. 4 days of reflection on yourself, on your relationship with your peers, with God, and more reflection towards the future, I began to realized what I wanted out of my life. And now, almost 6 years after my senior retreat, I still think back to that time, and how that prepared me to get through anything life threw at me.

The main message from that retreat: "I'm Loveable; God Doesn't Make Junk". Such a simple phrase, yet so powerful. And such a great one to remember. I know that there are some days that seem so hard, and it's so easy to fall into negativity, but just remember that little phrase. You are loveable: not just by God, but by some many people in your life. It's easy to forget, but just as easy to remember. God Doesn't Make Junk: apparently that phrase has been around for a long time. But it's so true. I think there is a bigger purpose for each and every one of us than what we know. There is a reason we are here; there are things we were meant to accomplish, people we were meant to meet. Why would God make something that doesn't have value?

So next time you're feeling down, just remember all the good things (big or small) that you have in your life, and remember that "You Are Loveable; God Doesn't Make Junk". Keep Calm, and Carry On. Life throws you curveballs, but don't be afraid to strikeout. There is so much to life, so go experience it.

That's all for me. Have a wonderful evening and a wonderful Sunday tomorrow. Life is too beautiful to let it pass us by. :)

The Road to Achieving Dreams.

I know it's been a while since my last blog post, but unfortunately, it takes a while for me to find something to blog about, and then it's even longer for me to find time to actually write. But continuing with last blog post's theme, I've been thinking a lot about dreams, and how to achieve those dreams.

Facebook and Twitter are some of the best places to find interesting information, videos, news stories, etc. My friend Caitlin posted this on her wall, and I had to steal it to share it with everyone. Yes, it may be 17 minutes long, but watch it all the way through. It is such an inspiration to everyone, or at least it should be. Most people don't go through 1/100th of what this man went through, and he's still living a life he loves. Matt Long - The Power of "I Will"

Some dreams I've achieved during my life, and I cannot be more proud of them. When I was younger, a big dream of mine was to have the greatest group of friends I could. Middle school and high school were a hard time for me, since I didn't always feel like I had that group of friends I could go to for support or really interact with. I made sacrifices for getting those friends with my academics and with sports, and while that time was hard, my work and determination put me in a position to go to Centre, and meet some of the best people I have ever met. Don't get me wrong, I still love all my friends I met at home, but I finally found people that wanted what I wanted and had goals of their own that matched mine.

This past weekend, a large group of those friends came up to visit and go out for my and Karen's birthday party. Though not everyone I wanted to come up could, a large amount of people came, and we had an absolute blast. I realized the next day at breakfast how lucky I was to find these people who I could count on day in and day out, and how much I loved them in return. I hope that everyone has people like that for them. My dream has finally come true, and I cannot be more happy with the choices I made to get to this point.

And recently, I've had dreams goals that have to do with education and the future. My dream to further my education is in progress, and I have to remember that sometimes I had to make more sacrifices to achieve this goal. While it may be hard, it is imperative for me to remember what I'm trying to get out of this experience. Hopefully, at the end, everything I wished for will come true.

What dreams have you achieved, and what goals did you set for yourself? What sacrifices did you have to make? From the video above, Matt Long talks about how successfully reaching your dreams does not come without sacrifices. To achieve the goals you made for yourself, you don't just wake up one day, and see that your dream came true. You have to push yourself to the limit, and then past that limit. The end result is so worth it.

And maybe that's what makes dreams so special when they do come true. Knowing that all the effort you put forth actually made a difference. It may be challenging at first, and even continue to be challenging, but working through those challenges make you a stronger person, and able to achieve anything you set your mind to.

Don't ever stop dreaming, making goals, going for the best things life has to offer. Living a stagnant life is one of the worst things we as human beings can do. If you find yourself living life going through the motions, be brave and do something to change that. Find something that makes you excited to live life. It's too beautiful of a thing to waste. Make goals, make the necessary sacrifices to achieve whatever it is you are working toward, and one day, reap the benefits of your hard work: that's my road to achieving dreams.

I'll be talking to you later, dreamers. Synthesis is calling my name, and that's part of my dreaming right now. Until next time.